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18-06-2019, 03:11 PM
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MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48671092

Women are forced to choose between being an MP and being a mum because of Parliament's rules, a pregnant MP says.

Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy says Ipsa - the body which regulates MPs' pay - have made it "impossible" to fulfil her responsiblities to her constituents once her baby is born.

That's because Ipsa does not automatically provide paid cover for MPs on parental leave.

MPs themselves are paid in full for the whole period.

Speaking to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, Ms Creasy said she had tried to "get out of" Ipsa what cover could be provided.

"They told me they don't recognise that MPs go on maternity leave. They then graciously said if I wanted to write an application to prove my worth they would have a think about it and whether they could provide the money," she said.

"MPs either have to hide from their constituents to spend time with their newborn baby or beg their colleagues to fill the gaps.

"This is 2019, not 1919," she said.

MPs are allowed to apply to Ipsa for payments where they have incurred an extra cost which is not already covered "but which they consider to be in support of their parliamentary functions".

When deciding whether to accept or reject an application for payment, Ipsa considers if there are exceptional circumstances, if an MP could have avoided the circumstances that led to the extra costs and whether the MP's work will be "significantly impaired by refusal of a claim".

Any MP who takes maternity leave, paternity leave or adoption leave is paid in full for the time they are absent.
If I understand the above correctly, Ms Creasy doesn't think that being paid in full while on maternity leave is enough - she wants extra to cover parliamentary duties carried out while on maternity leave .....

AFAIK, being paid "extra" while on leave (maternity, paternity, adoption or whatever) is not standard practice elsewhere but perhaps I'm wrong and Ms Creasy is not being greedy .....
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18-06-2019, 03:18 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Being an MP should be a full time job.

Women who want to be a mother and an MP should not even consider being an MP.
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18-06-2019, 03:28 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Originally Posted by The Artful Todger ->
Being an MP should be a full time job.

Women who want to be a mother and an MP should not even consider being an MP.



You are funny, AT!
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18-06-2019, 03:32 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Originally Posted by Pyxell ->



You are funny, AT!
Trust me, I'm being deadly serious.
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18-06-2019, 04:45 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Senior Tories rally in support of pregnant MP Stella Creasy

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...-stella-creasy

The Walthamstow MP, who is pregnant, received support from Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid, two of the contenders to succeed May, who both urged action to be taken over the issue.

Creasy said the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) had told expectant mothers it did not recognise any form of maternity leave and would not automatically provide extra support for constituency work after she gave birth.

Hunt and Javid also urged action in tweets. Hunt, the foreign secretary, said it was “impossible to argue” with Creasy’s views, adding: “Insidious to force MPs to choose between serving their constituents and spending precious time with their newborn. Come on Ipsa, do the right thing.”

Javid, the home secretary, tweeted Creasy to congratulate her on the pregnancy, saying: “I completely agree that we must strive to ensure parliament is an inclusive workplace. It shouldn’t be more difficult to be a female MP than a male MP.”
I still don't get it - Ms Creasy gets full pay while on maternity leave, when, presumably, she's not working. She will still receive her office expenses allowance but she wants still more to pay more people to do her constituency job for her. If ongoing pregnancies (and this is her third) are preventing her from representing her constituents then she should, as they say nowadays, stand down.
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18-06-2019, 05:45 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Originally Posted by Omah ->
Senior Tories rally in support of pregnant MP Stella Creasy

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...-stella-creasy



I still don't get it - Ms Creasy gets full pay while on maternity leave, when, presumably, she's not working. She will still receive her office expenses allowance but she wants still more to pay more people to do her constituency job for her. If ongoing pregnancies (and this is her third) are preventing her from representing her constituents then she should, as they say nowadays, stand down.
There must be more to this than we're getting.
I don't know what, but there must be.

Has it been on Victoria Derbyshire? I haven't watched it this week.
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18-06-2019, 05:59 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Originally Posted by Pyxell ->
There must be more to this than we're getting.
I don't know what, but there must be.

Has it been on Victoria Derbyshire? I haven't watched it this week.
Yes, on VD's show .....
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18-06-2019, 06:05 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

I understand what she means... if she worked for a company the company would employ someone to cover the maternity leave...and obviously there would be no cost to the pregnant woman.

An MP recieves money to employ staff but no payment to cover her duties when she is on maternity leave. I agree with her that there should be a payment so she can employ someone to cover those duties .... she can already vote by proxy in Parliament so it would just be to cover constituancy duties.... thats my interpretation anyway.
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18-06-2019, 06:21 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Originally Posted by summer ->
I understand what she means... if she worked for a company the company would employ someone to cover the maternity leave...and obviously there would be no cost to the pregnant woman.

An MP recieves money to employ staff but no payment to cover her duties when she is on maternity leave. I agree with her that there should be a payment so she can employ someone to cover those duties .... she can already vote by proxy in Parliament so it would just be to cover constituancy duties.... thats my interpretation anyway.
Thanks Summer....that makes perfect sense! Yes that must be it, of course!
Great clarity!
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18-06-2019, 06:53 PM
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Re: MPs' maternity rights: Labour's Stella Creasy speaks out

Originally Posted by summer ->
I understand what she means... if she worked for a company the company would employ someone to cover the maternity leave...and obviously there would be no cost to the pregnant woman.

An MP recieves money to employ staff but no payment to cover her duties when she is on maternity leave. I agree with her that there should be a payment so she can employ someone to cover those duties .... she can already vote by proxy in Parliament so it would just be to cover constituancy duties.... thats my interpretation anyway.
That sounds reasonable enough, but who would decide what duties, how much and for how long?

Of course, the same would have to apply for paternity leave and adoption leave .....
 
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